The Morning After
by tempest10
Summary: Follow-up to 'A Moment Observed'. Janeway tries to apologize, and is confronted by some hard questions.


Seven was working efficiently in Astrometrics when Janeway walked in. Her fingers sped over the console. Janeway's pulse quickened. She shouldn't have come, she should have just forgotten it, surely Seven would just let it slide, surely Seven wouldn't even know what it _meant_.

But she had to do this.

Seven was oblivious to her entrance, her fingers still tapping. Janeway stared at the metal mesh on Seven's hand, for lack of anything else. _I could leave. She doesn't even know I'm here_.

"Captain?"

"Er, hello Seven." Janeway bit her lip.

"Yes?" She looked so confident now, in her element. Not at all like last night. _Arghh, last night…_

"Seven… I wanted to apologize for what happened. Last night." She took a deep breath. "I'm afraid I was a little… well, let's say tipsy. It will not happen again and- "

"Captain?" Seven cut her off, with a quizzical expression. "To what event last night are you referring to?"

"Um…" _She really doesn't know what I'm talking about! _ "The kiss. I'm sorry."

"Kiss." Although she said it as a statement, there was a question behind the words.

"Uh, a kiss is when two people… when their lips touch each other. Or other parts. Of the face." _Shut up Janeway!_

There was a small silence while Seven assimilated the information.

"Then I must apologize as well. I believe the phrase is 'I'm sorry'."

"Oh no, Seven! You don't have to apologize, it was my fault."

"I performed this act as well. You apologized. Why shouldn't I? Explain."

"Well, er, um. You know what, it's not important." Janeway turned. "I should go."

"Wait." It was phrased as a command, but there was a request behind the terse word. Janeway turned around.

"I am confused. You performed a kiss-"

"The word is 'kissed', Seven." Janeway allowed herself a small smile.

"Thank you. You 'kissed' me without explaining your intention. I 'kissed' you back. You left. I assumed that it was some sort of human ritual, perhaps one that I would be expected to perform with others- "

Janeway let out a groan. "No, Seven, -"

"Captain, the Doctor has informed me that humans consider interruption impolite. You are a human; you should be aware of that." There was a pause. "This morning you have apologized, which implies that the 'kissing' act was incorrect. If it was incorrect, why did you do it? Furthermore," she continued, cutting off a flustered comment from Janeway, "I performed it as well, yet you would not let me apologize.

"Is 'kissing' only wrong when you are the instigator? Why is it wrong? I also found the act somewhat enjoyable. If it is enjoyable, then why is it wrong?" The ex-Borg gazed at Janeway expectantly. "Will you clarify these issues?"

Janeway couldn't think of anything to say. How were you supposed to answer questions like that? Besides that, there was another thing the captain was wondering about. _She enjoyed it?_ But she hadn't even known what kissing was, it would be… well, it wouldn't be right. Besides, there was that damned regulation about fraternizing…

She snapped herself out of thoughts to realize Seven was still staring in anticipation. "Uh, these are very, um, well, they're very sensitive topics for a lot of humans."

"Including you?"

"No! I mean yes. I mean, uh, why don't you ask the Doctor."

Seven nodded slightly, the human gesture seeming strange on her. "I will. I will inform him that you sent me as well." Seven turned and began striding toward the door.

"Wait!" The ex-Borg turned. "Uh, don't tell the Doctor I sent you, please. In fact, can you not mention me when you ask him?"

Seven considered the request. "Yes." She walked out of Astrometrics, turned, and continued purposefully down the corridor.

Janeway let out a sign. With her luck, Seven would begin with "The captain told me not to tell you these questions are about her," or somesuch thing. Though Seven would definitely use bigger words.

Then again… she took a second to daydream.

And reality came crashing down, knocking her daydreams to the floor. The sheer impossibility, for one thing. That thrice-cursed regulation, for another.

"Damn."


End file.
